Improvement in metallic fences



W. L. WALKER, B'. G. DEVOE & LT. YOUNG. METALLIC FENCE.

No. 178,569; Patented June 13, 1876.

Wamm/ 1' .Q w ZZ N.PETERS. FHOYO-LJTHOGRAPHER, WASHKNGTON, D C.

lvrrEn STATES PATENT oEEro WILLIAM L. WALKER, BENJAMIN G. DEVOE, ANDJAMES YOUNG, OF KEN- TON, OHIO; SAID VALKER ASSIGNOR TO SAID JAMES YOUNGAND BENJAMIN Gr. DEVOE, AND WILLIAM H. YOUNG AND HENRY PRICE,

OF SAME PLAO E.

IMPROVEMENT lN METALLIC FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,569, dated June 13,1876; application tiled February 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM L. WALKER, BENJAMIN G. DEVOE, and JAMESYOUNG, all of Kenton, in the county of Hardin and State of Ohio,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fences, ofwhich the following is a specification: Our invention consistsprincipally in the peculiar construction of the ornamental parts, andthe devices whereby such are readily placed in position, together withtheir picketson the cross-rails ot' the panels, and readily taken apartwhen required or desired.

The invention further consists in constructing the panel-posts in suchmanner that they may be readily adjusted forward and backward withoutdisturbing either the ornamental parts of the panels or the base of theposts; and, finally, the invention consists in the construction or formof the cross-rail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear vertical elevation ofso much of a fence as will show our improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectionthrough line av 00, Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detached views of thefastening devlces.

AA A are the upper, middle, and lower ornaments, respectively, the upperand lower ones of which are provided each with a semicircular, orpractically a semicircular, rearbrace, a a The brace a of the upperornamental part A has an enlargement formed thereon, provided with arecess, M, for a purpose hereinafter explained. B is the picket,

constructed substantially like those we usually employthat is to say, apicket rolled hollow, and having side flanges b I), upon which theornaments partly rest. This picket is further made with a hole orlongitudinal slot at or near its central portion, which slot, 1), formsa longitudinal aperture in the rounded portion of said picket.

The ornament A has two central studs or projections, a formed on itsrear face, by means of which said ornament is secured to the picket B bypassing the studs through the slot 1/ in said picket, and then drivingthem apart, as plainly shown by Figs. 1 and 2, and by this means thecenter ornament is securely fastened to the picket.

G is the cross-rail, of J shape, with its horizontal portion 0 providedwith a flange or rounded rib, c, which fits into a groove orrecessformed in the holdingclamp K, which consists essentially of two parts,one part being T-shaped, the shank of which has a longitudinal slot,through which the post F passes. The upper part of the clamp K istriangularthat is to say, it has a horizontal clampingface, and avertical slotted face which fits over the shank of the lower portion.portion is further provided at the junction or angle of the horizontaland vertical plates with a recess to receive the projecting flange orrib c of the cross-rail 0 when the latter is held between the two partsof the clamp, and the latter and the rail are together secured in anydesired position on the post F by means of a wedge or key. Thisholding-clamp has been fully described and shown in the specificationand drawings forming part of Letters Patent granted to Walker and Devoefor said clamp under datevof October 11, 1875, and need therefore not beparticularly referred to here, as we do not wish to claim the. clamp K,per 86, nor do we desire to limit ourselves exclusively to the use ofsuch clamp inconjunction with the cross-rail O, as it is evident thatclamps of other construction to fit the rail may be employed. The rail 0is rolled to the shape as shown, and is especially adapted, with thehooks and clamps D E K, to the setting up fences rapidly andsubstantially.

D is a fastening hook or staple, the long arm of which has a projectionor lip, d and the outer face of such long arm 61 is rounded to fit theconvexity of the picket B. This hook D is employed to secure the lower.ornament to the picket, by inserting it between the latter and the rearbrace a ,'in such manner that the hook will clasp said brace and theface of the rail 0, and the lower projecting lip d the lower face of thevertical portion of the cross-rail, as shown. By this means the ornamentand The upperpicket are readily hooked together, or unhooked by pressingback the lip or projection (1 and slipping it from 011' the brace a andthe face of the cross-rail. I

E is another fastening-hook, of peculiar construction, by means of whichthe upper ornamental partAis hooked or secured to the up per cross-rail,and consists of a main hook, 6, formed on a long arm, 0 the the lowerface of which is so constructed as to form ashoulder, c and the book 6formed on the arm 0 at right angles to the long arm 0 The front face ofthe vertical arm 6 is rounded, so as to fit the hollow portion of thepicket when it is placed in position. The. front end of the hook isslightly curved inward, as shown at 6, Fig. 3.

To secure the ornament A in position the short arm 0 is slipped betweenthe picket and rear brace a, so that the front portion of the long arm 6will rest in the recess a formed in the enlargement of the brace a, andthe book 6 will clasp said enlargement, the hook E havin been)I'GVlOLlSlY sli) ed over the a l P rail, so that its shoulder e willbear against the rear face of the vertical portion of said cross-rail,and the main hooked portion will embrace the projection or flange c ofthe rail. It is evident that by this means the upper ornament may bereadily placed in position on the picket, and when the lower ornament issecured the three ornaments A A A will hold each other, without anyfurther fastening, in a substan tial manner.

F is the panel-post, triangular in shapethat is to say, it is composedof the post itself, and a horizontal base-arm,f to which is pivoted thebrace-f. This panel-post may be connected to any suitable or preferredbase, and the post and brace are connected together by means of a link,f The upper face of the I brace is beveled to the required angle to fitthe rear face of the post F, and the inner rear sition in the most rapidand substantial manner, while its construction, is of the simplest,hence the most economical, kind.

We do not wish here to claim, broadly, a picket rolled hollow andprovided with lateral flanges, as such have been in use before; but

What we do claim is- 1. In combination with the ornamental part A,provided with a rear brace, 01, having a central recessed enlargementformed thereon, of the fastening device E, picket B, and the crossrail0, substantially as described.

2. The post F, the horizontal arm f, the pivoted brace f, and theadjusting and fastening link f all combined substantially as described.

3. The combination of the post F and clamp K with the J shapedcross-rail 0, having a projecting rib or flange, c, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 11th day of February, 1876.

Witnesses JOHN MGOOLLOUGH, J. B. BALES.

